rreschran

My Dad's advice on someone else handling your monetary affairs rings true to this day, "Never trust someone else with your hard-earned cash." While it offers no-one any consolation now ... I hope someone is held responsible in what sees to be questionable. R.

One reason I come and play on TowForce is for the entertainment value it provides. When I saw the opening teaser asking about credit card processing, and being the consummate old duffer that I am, I immediately flashed on the old, slide-style, credit machines I had in all of my trucks and the business office. Once considered state of the art beyond hand-printing, these machines were awkward to use and required the user to be diligent in seeing that all of the raised numbers from the credit card came through the carbon paper. Quite honestly ... I hated having to use them, but, there were no chips to deal with, no plug-in modules and no instant verification. They didn't stall and a server wouldn't go down, but, they were otherwise problematic in the rain, and, when stored under the tow truck's seat, the dust caused even more problems. There were plenty of other problems associated with credit card machines, but, when they worked well, they were far better than trying to read a driver's unreadable printing. But, as we all know, they went the way of the dinosaur as technology marched on. I'm sure many of you remember them. R.

Good article on Dispatcher’s Ron and the qualities necessary to do that job. A qualified dispatcher is like playing the game of chess where, concentration, strategy and the right decisions morph from beginner to that of a competent strategist that can easily and efficiently balance the movements and actions of tow trucks and drivers, all-the-while, knowing where everything and everyone is. I appreciate your commitment, dedication and willingness to take-on more, “crap and difficult personalities”, in a ten-hour shift than any other person in the company. Dispatching has a huge learning curve that oftentimes takes years to perfect. It’s a rare occasion that a, “dispatch qualified”, applicant walks through your door. I wrote the article, “Dispatchers: Loved and Not Forgotten”, in American Towman’s , March 2019 issue, where I quoted Russian-American, chess master, Irving Chernev, who once said, “Likened to the game of chess, the best strategies make for a winning game … every chess master was once a beginner.” As Ghrist say, dispatchers seldom are praised … so, I’ll take this moment to personally, say, “Thank you”, for your work because, “I couldn’t and can’t do the work you do.” Accordingly, I’ll ask, “Have you hugged your dispatcher today?” R. .

I met Dana on a Jeep event and knew him when I lived in Northern California. Christine and I send our prayers to the Holland family, George and College oak Towing. He was really compassionate about Jeeping and we had some great conversations about running the Rubicon trail. R.

For years, our company was the evidence provider for CHP San Diego. There were several incidents like this where a tow truck company was called to pick-up an unattended vehicle somewhere near the border and take it north. This news report is a reminder to those tow companies operating near border towns about accepting tow requests to tow or transport vehicles. When owners aren't with a vehicle being towed or transported, but give you an address and name of, "someone", that should be the first red-flag that something is fishy. Here in Southern California, vehicles crossing from Mexico into the US are prime targets for smuggled drugs or international travelers. One way that drugs get into the US from Mexico is the simple process of the bad-guys tying packets of something under a pickup truck's frame while the vehicle is parked and unattended. The bad-guys wait for the unassuming pick-up owner to drive to the border crossing with bad-guys following close behind. If the pick-up makes it across, the bad-guys follow and wait until the truck is parked and the owner walks away. It's risky for the pickup owner, but the bad-guys oftentimes win. If someone calls to have a vehicle taken from the border entry to Los Angeles, it requires plenty of diligence by the tow company in-knowing who owns the vehicle and whether or not the owner will be with the vehicle. While you don't want to turn-down a long-distance call, if the information doesn't come easy or you have that, "somethin' ain't right", feeling ... turn the call down. The closer to the border a vehicle is, there's high possibility that a tow truck could be stopped and searched. Even when the tow operator isn't involved or has knowledge of the drugs in a vehicle, an arrest will happen none-the-less and the tow truck or carrier is impounded. It then takes a ton of money and effort to post out of jail, fight the federal allegations and then get the truck out of impound. This is one of those topics for your next dispatch meeting. The other side of a driver who may be guilty of possession and transporting drugs, stolen property, or other unlawful activities, my advice is simple to suggest; don't do the crime if ya' can't do the time. Be careful. R.

... no rollovers for carriers? I've got a bunch of towers in a CHP class ... now what am I gonna' do to fill that gap?

According to another news account, Villa Hills Police Department Chief Bryan Allen, reported that, the cyclist was riding a bicycle downhill, "The bike didn't have any brakes," said the chief. "He was going pretty fast." Usually it's a tow truck with no brakes ... pretty ironic right? https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/kentoncounty/2020/01/29/crescent-springs-cyclist-had-no-brakes-tow-truck-crash-northern-kentucky-man-serious-condition/4607155002/

Thanks Chuck for posting the pricing information. I'm glad to hear that you weren't hurt and I'm hoping your words inspire others to have a look at the system for their own personal safety. R.

Thanks Chuck for posting the results of your Mico-Brake install. Like you, I too like the added peace and protection that the system provides as a back-up to the truck's factory E-brake. The industry has had far too many towers run-over and killed by their own tow truck or carrier because the E-brake failed. If you wouldn't mind, what did the system wind-up costing? And, did you install it or have a shop do it? R.

Linda is a personal friend of mine and I salute her and the story she tells about the loss of Bobby. My son is a firefighter paramedic and I just couldn't imagine experiencing the loss if something were to happen to him. Her's is a parent's worst nightmare, yet, she is a champion for this industry. Linda has turned the devastation of his loss into much good by lobbying the State of New Mexico into initiating, "Bobby's Law". God Bless you Linda for your courage and passion that drives you to bring continued awareness to the motoring public and for this industry that feels the pain of your message. R.

This kind of crash happens more than you'd think, especially on highway-speed roadways and highways. I remember two California Highway Patrol officers and an upstate Maine trooper who were killed by wayward tires. In 1989, I worked a CHP evidence fatal where a tire came off a truck and killed a young-mom when a tire bounded from the opposite side of traffic, over the K-Rail and landed right at the position of the driver's window ... she never had a chance. The impact was so hard that it peeled-back the roof to the point there was no need for the fire-department to cut a roof-flap to remove her body. So, the next time you change someone's tire, ask yourself, "What liability exists when tires aren't tightened to specs in the same manner a tower would remove a drive-shaft but not re-install it?" Here's a video link of an example of just how fast it happens with no time to react. R.

Back in 1975, I had my leg broken by a car that lost control in the rain while I worked a CHP recovery. A car was driving too fast in heavy rain, hit the center K-rail and careened into the tow truck and the tow truck shoved into me. As I worked the non-traffic controls, I winched a small pickup truck up the embankment as the CHP officer and the vehicle's owner were seated in the CHP car. The impact swept sent me down the imbankment and the officer came to where I landed he asked, "Where'd ja' go?" Two year's later, a DUI driver driving an International Scout spun-out in the ran and I hit him head-on in a loaded carrier with a car topside and pulling a loaded two-axle trailer. The impact shoved the Scout down the embankment and it over-turned. The carrier was totalled and my resulting injury was a only a smallish hole in my face. To this day some 45-year's later, I'm still vividly aware of how lucky I was in both incidents. R.

I'd like to respond to what's read in letter and not make it sound like it's flippant or demeaning. I appreciate that Scott took time to write the letter as it brings to the forefront the deadly reality that exists in this industry. It's definitely in-line with, OPP Sergeant Kerry Schmidt's, plea for slow-down and move over after a Canadian tower was killed November 2019. Having archived and reviewed as many as 300-tow operator fatalites that have occurred on the world's highways and shoulders, there's a huge percentage of investigations that have determined, suggested or reported that tow operators were standing, working and walking on the white-line when they were struck. The number presented herein doesn't represent those who were hit and survived, so you know there's a gigantic number of tow operator strikes floating around. Scott ... I feel that same frustration. While Scott makes mention of a noticible failure for drivers to SDMO, that's the reality of highway work and it's not going to change anytime soon. So, tower's themselves have to be that much more dilligent and aware of their environment. Through years of lessons learned as to the reasons why towers are repeatedly struck, injured and killed, in many cases, towers themselves FAIL to prepare an active work zone to announce their presence, and then work on the white-line side of traffic. While Scott mentions that his driver's over-head emergency lights were turned-on, there was no mention that flares, cones or triangles were set in-place to announce a presence and identify their work zone. There's also mention that his tower was in-process of, "performing a boost service", on the highway versus that of load-it-quickly and get off the highway. Like changing someone's tire, attempting to jump-start a vehicle on the highway simply increases time of scene which adds to the potential of being struck. Not too mention, a vehicle that was just jumped-started may stall and die at that very moment the vehicle's driver attempts to pull into traffic moving at speed. It's my opinion that service calls on any highway are too risky and should be tow only scenarios. Accordingly, the towing and recovery industry NEEDS a culture change that accepts the FACT that motorists are not going to slow down and move over. We towers can't change their behaviors of distracted drivers, texting or driving while drunk, but we CAN change the way we work highway and shoulder events. While Scott's letter is informational and is directed to this audience, it tell's us what we already know and experience. In all due respect to Scott's letter, every tow company must have solid response protocol in-place and active. Regardless if a motorist racks-up one, two, or three, "demerit points", or a, "suspension", on their license, for any one response, there are thousands of vehicles to pass a tow truck or carrier during a single tow/service scenario. Where tow operator survival is to happen, towers MUST be smart about the manner they work when responding to highway calls. Chances are, the highway patrol or OPP won't be on-scene. And, even if they were, they too are nothing more than a false sense of security. If there's a fast way to prevent the chance of being struck, its taking the necessary steps to be seen and working quickly to lessen operator exposure. Scott's letter is one of those constant reminders that danger exists on every call. So, if these dangers are known to us as an industry, why do tower's continue to put themselves in harm's way? R.

Hey Ron ... I have it on good authority from Oregon friends that Brian died from his injuries during this incident. Here is the link with narrative as to what caused his unfortunate death. Christine and I send our prayers to Brian's family, his company and the community where he lived. What a tragic happening and one to remind all towers of the dangerous conditions we work. R. https://centraloregondaily.com/prineville-tow-truck-drivers-death-highlights-dangers-of-the-industry/

On the contrary, it really shouldn't matter why it's there. This would have been one of your great Safety Discussions. An experienced operator's job first sees the dangers, formulates a plan of safety, and then applies tactics and techniques to keep themselves AND others out of harm's way. At the very least, it makes for a great debate. R.

I went back into my archives of train versus tow truck strikes to find that as many as 7x on-site rail related recoveries had police on-scene and an emergency message was allegedly call to the rail dispatcher or railroad police. NO matter what is said regarding that the rail company has been notified, ALWAYS expect that another train could be coming through at a moments time. R.

... it's fair to say, "Every one of us has had that, "Car from Hell", sometime in our career. That's where good training, practice AND sometimes a bit of help from the Tow Gods are in-order. R.

I've written on this subject many times through the years and have counted as many as 2x operator fatalities working railroad right-of-ways. I believe this is the same 2015 Go train crash that took the life of canadian tow operator Randy Muzzi working a previous accident near the tracks. While I don't like to be critical of any operator's recovery or tow in a malicious way, I always look for lessons learned from previous accidents, scenarios and operator injury or deaths when it comes to railroad recoveries. In this picture alone, I'd ask, "With a perfectfully good set of tow dollies, and considering a train may not have gotten the message that a tow truck was on-scene, why didn't the operator hook the vehicle up from the opposite end and install dollies?" Also obvious is the sposted sign, "Do not stop on tracks", not mre than 20-or-so feet from the point of impact. Trains and metro-links always have the right-of-way where towers need to find other ways to remain off the tracks if at all possible especially at controlled crossings. It's my policy to not work any rail incident until the area police are on-scene and I have conversation with the railroad police to confirm. But even then, there's no guarantee that the message from the rail dispatch to the train's conductor was received. No matter what, rail scenarios are really scary. Unfortunately for the tower in this incident, a claim that the train didn't stop may not fly when choosing who most likely caused this crash. R.

Great work guys. Sgt. Schmidt is known for making and sharing these awesome videos that show tow companies working in their best light. He is also a big proponent for Slow-Down and Move-Over. Thanks Sergeant Schmidt. R.

There are plenty of these incidents where tow employees are injured or killed when vehicle owners enter tow yards and try to liberate their vehicles. I'm glad to see that vehicle owners are being charged with laws specific to, "Defrauding" and "Criminal Tresspass". I believe that allowing vehicle owners into the tow yard to get their registration or certain personal items from their vehicle only increases the risk of injury or death. Unfortunately, tow companies have to follow their state's laws when it comes to releasing property or releasing vehicles to the registered owner or agent. However, in knowing that, there's not one single car in any tow yard worth being run over and killed for. If someone has the intent of, "running the gate", I tell my employees to simply step-aside and let them go to avoid being hit. If there's a gate runner and it wasn't due to the gate being left open by my personnel, an immediate call to 911 usually gets the ball rolling where the vehicle's owner can be arrested and prosecuted at a later date. R.

FACT: Humor me here ... I have a question that touches on tow operator safety after reading where an east-coast tow operator was arrested for a series of (alleged) events. Tow company employees, especially dispatchers and drivers, work under plenty of job related stresses and dangers. Long-hours and lack of sleep can easily wear personnel down to some point where burn-out may be the culprit, But, sometimes the stresses at home or domestic relationships create related problems that come back to the workplace. Thinking back to my earlier days, I remember a few parenting and marriage issues that unfortunately followed me to work. Working as a tow operator requires 100-percent concentration on the tasks of towing and recovery. When family problems are the root of operator behavior, work slow-down or changed attitude, how can (you) as boss or supervisor help? I personally have an open-door policy, but some bosses simply are not reachable nor do they care. While it’s true that everyone's allowed a melt-down once in a while, what do you (as boss or supervisor) do to reach out to your employees? Do you should you do anything? I believe that bosses and supervisors, who share an (at-length) relationship with their employees, are more apt to understand when the employee is struggling or working differently from their norm, and react accordingly without emotion. At some point, a caring, but, non-pushy, "How can I help", may be the difference that prevents employee over-load, them walking off the job, or worse yet, experiencing an accident or incident where they or someone else is injured or killed. Should you lend an ear or butt out? R

When these fatality incidents (of great magnitude occur) the highway patrols with jurisdiction oftentimes re-route traffic off the highway. Although TIM preaches to keep traffic flowing, I think the very purpose of, as Grumps says, "watch your back", comes with road closure. To me the odds of someone surviving a rear-end crash (in stacking traffic with the que) are greater than a pedestrian worker who is in/near/or working on the highway. I personally believe that saving lives is a greater priorrrity than inconvenience to the motoring public or the economic loss to the community. To that I'll ask, "What is the total economic loss when a firefighter, police officer or tow operator is killed, to include the investigation, shut-down of the highway, medical transport, fire department response, police on-scene, response of the coronor, or any other included costs when a roadside worker is killed?" I believe that roadways in crash scenarios should be strategically blocked, slowed, or rerouted in the best interests of survival because Slow-Down Move-Over laws DON'T work. R.

Another senseless speed-related traffic incident occurred in, Lubbock, Texas, and under icy conditions. Responders were working a solo vehicle roll-over crash when another vehicle lost control and crashed into firefighters and police officers. The crash resulted in one firefighter/paramedic killed as well as a police officer killed with another firefighter critically injured. Christine and I send our prayers to the City of Lubbock, the families of those injured or killed, and the departments they worked for. R Link: https://www.officer.com/on-the-street/news/21120900/texas-police-officer-and-firefighter-killed-in-icy-wreck utm_source=Officer.com+Officer+Down&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200111006&o_eid=8332G9815412E0C&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C8332G9815412E0C&oly_enc_id=8332G9815412E0C Another Updated News Video of the Police Press Release https://abc13.com/5839274/

While I agree with mist of what's presented here, a certificate of any kind, without a solid hands-on module, means nothing more than the paper it's printed on and regardless under what name it's printed under. Texas tow operators have Bobby Tuttle and CIRT to help them gain TDLR approval because his course is specific to Texas law. R

Thanks guys for these well explained situations. Your words provide me with necessary information that will allow me to write a letter to the IACP under close scrutiny of my brother (retired police chief). I'll get crackin' on that and will share it with you. Note: When difficult topics are discussed in a calm, reserved, well-spoken manner, much can be learned for the betterment of the industry. Also important are those negative interactions that should be brought to the tow bosses attention. Thanks again. R